This Sunday in Brussels a strong demonstration was held against the new government provisions to quell the advance of the pandemic and was added to those of Saturday that occurred in Zagreb and Vienna. Meanwhile, Norway will require negative tests for non-vaccinated people who want to enter the country, Germany closes non-essential spaces and the United Kingdom extends the age range to apply the third dose.
The great concern that surrounds Europe in these weeks is the sudden and powerful advance of a new wave – the fourth on the continent – of the coronavirus that is hitting countries with force and forces a rapid response. However, between studies and resolutions, part of its populations rise up in massive marches against anticovid measures.
The regional director of the World Health Organization, Hans Kluge, said on Saturday in dialogue with the BBC that there could be half a million deaths in Europe if the advance of the fourth wave is not responded quickly due to winter, poor rates of vaccination and circulation of the delta variant.
In this framework, some countries such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia set restrictions for people who are not inoculated; while Austria was the pioneer in announcing mandatory vaccination for the first quarter of 2022.
However, with each step that nations decide ways to combat the arrival of the fourth wave of the coronavirus, crowds rise to protest the new measures. In this framework, this Sunday in Brussels thousands of people mobilized in the center of the Belgian capital under the legend “Together for Freedom”.
The main reason for the march was the provision that indicates the obligation to present the Covid-19 certificate to access public places, such as ministries, post offices or popularly crowded places. In Belgium this document was already in force since October to enter cinemas, theaters or restaurants.
The compulsory vaccination for all health personnel ordered by the Government this week was also at the center of criticism. If they are not immunized, their work will be suspended from January 1 to March 31, when their contract will be terminated or suspended without pay until the worker is vaccinated.
In addition, after a 19% rebound in positive cases, the presidents also arranged teleworking four times a week and expanding the use of chinstraps in closed spaces. “The measures restricting freedom do not constitute a structural solution for health,” the organizers alleged in a statement.
The mobilization in Brussels joins that of Friday in Rotterdam that ended with riots and injuries and the recent ones in Zagreb and Vienna.
In Croatia, a country where only 46% of the inhabitants are fully vaccinated, it is one of the territories hardest hit by the new wave. They registered 5,614 new infections and 65 deaths in the last 24 hours, it has more than two thousand people hospitalized, thus reaching almost its full capacity. However, about 15,000 civilians demonstrated on Saturday in the center of the capital against the government’s measures.
In this mobilization, far-right leaders and conservative activists stood out, branded the conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic a “traitor” and demanded that the government back down with the provision launched on Tuesday that requires showing the Covid-19 certificate in public institutions and forces the use of the mask.
For its part, in Vienna, demonstrations promoted by the far-right FPÖ party took place on Saturday after the call promoted by the leader Herbert Kickl, who did not attend because he was isolated.
“Let us show those in power that truth, humanity and the will to be free are stronger than any repression,” he wrote on his social networks.
The protest was aimed at the government’s decision to, as of Monday, impose a new general confinement for non-essential people (there was already one for the unvaccinated) and the obligation to receive the vaccine in February to raise the percentage of inoculated, which today only reaches 65% and is one of the lowest in Western Europe.
Other European countries are also looking to appease the fourth wave
Germany is preparing a package of new provisions to face the new attack of the pandemic, although the doubt will be whether they are viable to control compliance. For example, that only vaccinated people or those with a negative test can use public transport.
In addition, the future government coalition requires states to take measures according to the hospital occupation of each region. Depending on the level of affected every 100,000 citizens, common spaces will be restricted or stricter requirements will be requested to access.
This week, the number of infections was 372.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, a figure much higher than the 289 of the previous week or the 85.6 of last month. Among the concerns also appears the slow speed of vaccination (67.9% have two doses) and there are about 14 million people who oppose the injections.
Meanwhile, in Norway, one of the countries that has suffered the least from the pandemic in Europe, suffered maximum spikes in infections in recent days and the government, which lifted all restrictions in September, opened the chance to reincorporate the use of masks indoors. and passport-covid.
For now, as of November 26, it will be mandatory for all travelers to register in advance and present a negative test, the latter only for those who are not vaccinated or have had the virus.
For its part, the United Kingdom plans to lower the age range for the third dose of the vaccine, which is currently being received by people over 50 years of age and will soon also begin to reinforce those over 40.
Unlike continental Europe, having been hit by the delta variant last summer makes the British rulers believe that they will not have a strong rebound in cases and that the reinforcement in vaccination will be enough to overcome this moment.
With EFE and AP
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